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CVE Record

CVE-2023-53730: blk-iocost: use spin_lock_irqsave in adjust_inuse_and_calc_cost

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: blk-iocost: use spin_lock_irqsave in adjust_inuse_and_calc_cost adjust_inuse_and_calc_cost() use spin_lock_irq() and IRQ will be enabled when unlock. DEADLOCK might happen if we have held other locks and disabled IRQ before invoking it. Fix it by using spin_lock_irqsave() instead, which can keep IRQ state consistent with before when unlock. ================================ WARNING: inconsistent lock state 5.10.0-02758-g8e5f91fd772f #26 Not tainted -------------------------------- inconsistent {IN-HARDIRQ-W} -> {HARDIRQ-ON-W} usage. kworker/2:3/388 [HC0[0]:SC0[0]:HE0:SE1] takes: ffff888118c00c28 (&bfqd->lock){?.-.}-{2:2}, at: spin_lock_irq ffff888118c00c28 (&bfqd->lock){?.-.}-{2:2}, at: bfq_bio_merge+0x141/0x390 {IN-HARDIRQ-W} state was registered at: __lock_acquire+0x3d7/0x1070 lock_acquire+0x197/0x4a0 __raw_spin_lock_irqsave _raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0x3b/0x60 bfq_idle_slice_timer_body bfq_idle_slice_timer+0x53/0x1d0 __run_hrtimer+0x477/0xa70 __hrtimer_run_queues+0x1c6/0x2d0 hrtimer_interrupt+0x302/0x9e0 local_apic_timer_interrupt __sysvec_apic_timer_interrupt+0xfd/0x420 run_sysvec_on_irqstack_cond sysvec_apic_timer_interrupt+0x46/0xa0 asm_sysvec_apic_timer_interrupt+0x12/0x20 irq event stamp: 837522 hardirqs last enabled at (837521): [<ffffffff84b9419d>] __raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore hardirqs last enabled at (837521): [<ffffffff84b9419d>] _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore+0x3d/0x40 hardirqs last disabled at (837522): [<ffffffff84b93fa3>] __raw_spin_lock_irq hardirqs last disabled at (837522): [<ffffffff84b93fa3>] _raw_spin_lock_irq+0x43/0x50 softirqs last enabled at (835852): [<ffffffff84e00558>] __do_softirq+0x558/0x8ec softirqs last disabled at (835845): [<ffffffff84c010ff>] asm_call_irq_on_stack+0xf/0x20 other info that might help us debug this: Possible unsafe locking scenario: CPU0 ---- lock(&bfqd->lock); <Interrupt> lock(&bfqd->lock); *** DEADLOCK *** 3 locks held by kworker/2:3/388: #0: ffff888107af0f38 ((wq_completion)kthrotld){+.+.}-{0:0}, at: process_one_work+0x742/0x13f0 #1: ffff8881176bfdd8 ((work_completion)(&td->dispatch_work)){+.+.}-{0:0}, at: process_one_work+0x777/0x13f0 #2: ffff888118c00c28 (&bfqd->lock){?.-.}-{2:2}, at: spin_lock_irq #2: ffff888118c00c28 (&bfqd->lock){?.-.}-{2:2}, at: bfq_bio_merge+0x141/0x390 stack backtrace: CPU: 2 PID: 388 Comm: kworker/2:3 Not tainted 5.10.0-02758-g8e5f91fd772f #26 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS rel-1.14.0-0-g155821a1990b-prebuilt.qemu.org 04/01/2014 Workqueue: kthrotld blk_throtl_dispatch_work_fn Call Trace: __dump_stack lib/dump_stack.c:77 [inline] dump_stack+0x107/0x167 print_usage_bug valid_state mark_lock_irq.cold+0x32/0x3a mark_lock+0x693/0xbc0 mark_held_locks+0x9e/0xe0 __trace_hardirqs_on_caller lockdep_hardirqs_on_prepare.part.0+0x151/0x360 trace_hardirqs_on+0x5b/0x180 __raw_spin_unlock_irq _raw_spin_unlock_irq+0x24/0x40 spin_unlock_irq adjust_inuse_and_calc_cost+0x4fb/0x970 ioc_rqos_merge+0x277/0x740 __rq_qos_merge+0x62/0xb0 rq_qos_merge bio_attempt_back_merge+0x12c/0x4a0 blk_mq_sched_try_merge+0x1b6/0x4d0 bfq_bio_merge+0x24a/0x390 __blk_mq_sched_bio_merge+0xa6/0x460 blk_mq_sched_bio_merge blk_mq_submit_bio+0x2e7/0x1ee0 __submit_bio_noacct_mq+0x175/0x3b0 submit_bio_noacct+0x1fb/0x270 blk_throtl_dispatch_work_fn+0x1ef/0x2b0 process_one_work+0x83e/0x13f0 process_scheduled_works worker_thread+0x7e3/0xd80 kthread+0x353/0x470 ret_from_fork+0x1f/0x30

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysisunknown

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This Linux kernel issue can create a deadlock in block I/O cost handling, potentially leaving affected systems stuck during storage activity. The public record does not provide CVSS, exploitability, or impact scoring, so business urgency depends on where affected kernels run and whether storage reliability is critical.

Executive priority

Treat this as a kernel stability risk, not a confirmed active attack. Prioritize normal patch windows, escalating for storage-heavy production systems where a deadlock would materially affect availability.

Technical view

The bug is in blk-iocost adjust_inuse_and_calc_cost(). It used spin_lock_irq(), which could re-enable interrupts on unlock even when callers had disabled them while holding other locks. The kernel fix changes this to spin_lock_irqsave() to preserve interrupt state and avoid inconsistent locking that can deadlock.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to Linux systems running kernel versions identified in the CVE affected entry. The record has no CPEs, so teams must map upstream kernel versions to distribution packages and running kernels.

Exploitation context

The source describes a lock-state deadlock observed in kernel execution. It does not describe public exploitation, weaponized techniques, privilege requirements, or remote reachability. KEV status is false in the supplied bundle.

Researcher notes

Evidence is narrow but credible: the CVE text includes the lockdep warning, unsafe locking scenario, stack trace, and exact locking correction. Missing data includes CVSS, CWE, CPEs, exploit status, and distribution-specific fixed package versions.

Mitigation direction

  • Update affected Linux kernels using vendor or distribution guidance.
  • Prioritize systems with critical storage workloads or known block I/O scheduler sensitivity.
  • Track the referenced stable kernel commits in downstream package advisories.
  • If immediate update is impossible, monitor for kernel deadlock or storage stall symptoms.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory running kernel versions across Linux hosts.
  • Map distribution kernel packages to the upstream versions in the CVE record.
  • Confirm deployed kernels include the referenced stable fix commits.
  • Review kernel logs for lockdep warnings, I/O stalls, or deadlock indicators.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
8

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

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CVE-2023-53730 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

0CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
0ADP providers
7Source links

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinuxb0853ab4a238c54b8f97ca7dde1ae156e2bbd5e4, b0853ab4a238c54b8f97ca7dde1ae156e2bbd5e4, b0853ab4a238c54b8f97ca7dde1ae156e2bbd5e4, b0853ab4a238c54b8f97ca7dde1ae156e2bbd5e4, b0853ab4a238c54b8f97ca7dde1ae156e2bbd5e4, b0853ab4a238c54b8f97ca7dde1ae156e2bbd5e4unaffected
LinuxLinux5.10, 0, 5.10.188, 5.15.121, 6.1.39, 6.3.13, 6.4.4, 6.5affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.